Hi,

There's probably a lot of different conditions that would define 'natural childbirth'...I've probably only practiced a few but I'll share what helped.

I've birthed my last 2 (out of 3) children naturally without medication in a hospital. They were uneventful except for the 2nd having meconium and the 3rd some placenta delivery complications (which I now think is the result of the doctor cutting the cord too early). I am pregnant with my fourth child and looking into birthing at home or in a birthing center, altho it's possible I'll do it again at a hospital.

A book I highly recommend is Active Birth. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1558320385/qid=1143124079/sr=1-1/r...
This was the first book I read that got me interested and confident enough to try it naturally (I had a rather traumatic first birth experience due to lack of education). The book has lots of physical exercise practices, stretching-ish, and recommendations during labor. It is highly recommended. I also want to check out 'Ina May's Guide to Childbirth' this time around.

One main recommendation, is if you have a healthy pregnancy, is to stay at home as long as possible. This may be hard to gauge for a new mother. Most new mothers take many hours to deliver so usually the first several hours will only progress you to be about 3-4 dilated. A good gauge might be to ask your mother and sisters or aunts how long their first labors were. When I walked in the hosptial with my first, I was 4 cm. I was comfortable staying home a little longer with my second and third, altho feeling the urgency, and when they checked me I was 6 cm. My point is as a first delivery, we may feel a little more scared and urgent to go to the hospital because this a totally new experience for us. Just know the earlier we go to the hospital, the more susceptible we are to their protocols.

The main emphasis I came away with was to stay active and upright during labor. Walk around slowly between contractions. Rest when you feel but stay upright as much as possible. When the contractions come on, breathe into them deeply. I never got into the fast breathing thing. For me, I would breathe deeply into the contraction and imagine my cervix relaxing to open up with the exhalations. If you do yoga or meditation or any breathing practice this will help.

I would calmly pace between contractions and when the heavy ones came on (these were later 2nd stage I think) I would lean over my husband who was sitting in a chair, breathe deeply and 'open'. I also moaned with the intense contractions on the exhalations. When it subsided I would resume slow pacing or sitting. One thing I learned, to my surprise and delight esp. because of the first experience, the body really does give you a break between contractions. In fact, I felt nothing at all in between contractions, even when I was dilating the most. This is true up until its time to push of course. It worked very well and within a couple hours or less I was fully dilated and handling it pretty well!

I tried squatting which is recommended also but it created tremendous pressure and was too uncomfortable for me. Also recommended is delivering in a squatting position, or using a vertical pole stand to hang from while delivery. Despite several attempts to deliver this way, I delivered supine in the hospital bed. As cooperative as some medical teams claim to be, there is always chance you will lose some control to them in a hospital.

Are there midwives or birthing centers in your area? If so, meet with them even if you aren't considering that route. I'm sure they would have a plethora of resources to share for natural birthing.

There's more to consider: where are you delivering? I'm assuming in a hospital. If so, discuss your birth plans with your doctor. Altho, I surprisingly learned that he may not even be the one delivering. So find out who potentially will be there and share your birthing plan with them. HAve them agree to your plans. One thing specifically I learned from the book was to especially talk to your doctor about your preferences if you don't want an episiotomy. This helped me with my second and with 'slower' pushing directed during the delivery, as well as him helping massage the perineum, I had just a few minor natural tears that were undetectable. But, upright delivery claims to prevent tearing better.

Also, it's critical to have a support person that knows your plans and wishes, to be your advocate. Having a baby is not the time to be reminding nurses of your birth preferences. Like I mentioned, an example of this, despite my many requests for the 'birthing pole' the team kept saying they were getting it. Well, my labor progressed quickly and once right after checking and determining I was fully dilated, they said, OK, time to push. I was too focused on the labor to stop and say, "Wait, what about the birthing pole?" This is best for a husband, partner or such. Having a doula is an excellent addition especially for a first delivery and highly recommended. If not, have a close female in attendance that can really be there and support you, not be afraid to help you calm down, help you stay centered, etc.

All of these are covered in the book. Things just coming back to memory...

Another topic...I know...it's a book! I've been looking into water birthing cause it gets such rave reviews. If this isn't an option or wanted, what we can do is take a bath or probably better cause you'll stay upright and have the sensation of the shower, is to take a warm shower. Water has been shown to ease contraction discomfort. This might be reserved for a little later in the labor when contractions are heavier. Make sure and have someone right there outside the shower though to be on stand-by.

Best wishes,
Lori Heartspirit